instinct
by Lazuli Quetzal
Summary: Obi-Wan was never good with a lightsaber. Until now. (Pre-Jedi Apprentice one-shot, no pairings)


**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Star Wars, or the Star Wars EU, or the Jedi Apprentice books, or any ideas or concepts or characters mentioned in this story! I am a fifteen-year-old girl playing with fanfiction!**

**A/N: I am a nerd and I have no life. **

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><p><em>Obi-Wan was never good with a lightsaber. Until now.<em>

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><p>His hands shook as he gripped the metal cylinder. He shifted uneasily, feeling the weight of the other Initiate's gazes falling onto his back. Obi-Wan closed his eyes. Lightsaber practice was his least favorite class of the day.<p>

The eight-year-old Initiate never had much talent with the Jedi weapon. From the very first saber lesson, Obi-Wan knew he was never going to get it. He didn't have that knack for using a lightsaber, like his peers. His grip was either too loose or too tight; his movements were jerky and ungraceful. Moving through the katas felt foreign to him. It had taken months of practice to get him to a passable level, but he was still far, far behind his friends.

Bant and Garen tried to help him, of course. Their suggestions often were more helpful than the instructors, and because of them, Obi-Wan was able to improve, but not by much.

But even though he was quite literally _the_ worst Initiate with a lightsaber, he still had to spar with his age group.

So here he was, standing in front of Bruck Chun, who he knew was going to win.

The other boy smirked at him, though nothing was said. When Obi-Wan heard that he would be going up against him, he wanted to melt into the floor. Chun continually bullied him about his mediocre saber skills, and now he would get the chance to humiliate him not only in front of the lightsaber instructor, but in front of his friends as well.

Obi-Wan held back a sigh. He knew that he would lose no matter who he went up against, but to lose to Bruck felt worse. The boy's taunts echoed in Obi-Wan's head. _Oafy-Wan... Oafy-Wan..._

Obi-Wan closed his eyes. The instructor would start the fight anytime now, and he didn't want to waste this last bit of peace.

Despite the battle being mere seconds away, his mind wandered. Colors appeared behind his eyelids, the way they did whenever one blinked too quickly. Lines of purple and dots of green danced across the darkness, and for a moment, all he could feel were the colors shifting behind his eyelids. He felt his senses widening, felt the presence of his peers and his instructor and opponent. Suddenly, there was a change, a _warning_ -

Instinctively, he brought his arm up, blocking the first strike from Bruck with ease. Obi-Wan's eyes flew open, and he found himself staring into the eyes of his opponent. His arms were steady; his grip on the saber was firm and strong. Bruck was radiating shock, and Obi-Wan supposed that he should be surprised as well, but the only thing he felt was a strong sense of _rightness_ flowing through his veins.

What was going on?

Bruck shook off his surprise and moved back, preparing for another strike. Obi-Wan felt something whisper in his ear, and he shifted his stance. He held his lightsaber in front of him with one hand, the other arm slightly bent. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what he was doing, but it felt right.

The other boy lunged forward, but Obi-Wan deflected the strike. Not expecting this, Bruck stumbled. Obi-Wan took the chance to strike at Bruck. Bruck managed to twist away and avoid most of the attack, but Obi-Wan's lightsaber still grazed his shoulder.

The class stared on in shock.

Obi-Wan moved away, giving Bruck a chance to recover. His breathing was even. He didn't even feel excited or confused. Instead, Obi-Wan felt at peace. It was far different than all his previous experiences with a lightsaber. There was no thought - only instinct. Every step, every breath, every beat of his heart was in rhythm. Right then and there, Obi-Wan knew he was _meant_ to hold this weapon.

The fight resumed. Bruck's attacks grew fiercer and fiercer, but Obi-Wan seemed to sense his every move even before it happened. His body went through the motions – _parry_, _dodge_, _slash_, _strike_. In his mind, he could feel the light suggestions coming from nowhere, telling him what to do.

Somehow, Obi-Wan was aware of every movement in the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the instructor nodding in approval. He saw the amazed expressions on Bant's face.

It was surreal. Was _this_ how the other Initiates felt when sparring?

After dodging a particularly harsh blow from Bruck, Obi-Wan felt another instruction form in his head.

Obeying the command, he grabbed his saber with both hands and prepared to go on the offensive.

As though a switch had been flipped, Obi-Wan surged forward. His attacks were quick and graceful. Gone was the awkward young boy with a lightsaber; in his place was a Jedi warrior.

Bruck was forced to move back as he deflected Obi-Wan's attacks. Sweat dripped from both the Initiates as they fought in the middle of the training center.

Obi-Wan pressed onward, never staying still for too long. He felt himself tiring, but Obi-Wan kept it up. His movements were quick, unpredictable, and his mind was clear. _Slash, strike; slash, strike; slash – _and suddenly, he found himself standing above his opponent, the blade of his saber mere centimeters from the boy's head.

Bruck lay on the ground, breathing hard. His white hair was plastered to his sweaty forehead; his lightsaber laying just out of his reach.

_What just happened?_ Obi-Wan thought. _Did I just... did that just..._

Feeling self-conscious, he backed away from Bruck and deactivated his training saber. Slowly, he turned to the class and his instructor. All had varying expressions of disbelief on their face.

Bant suddenly stood up and began to clap.

"Go Obi-Wan!" she shouted, and Obi-Wan cracked a grin as the rest of the class began to clap, too. The instructor was beaming, as if to say _I knew you had it in you._

Obi-Wan remembered his opponent. He turned around. Bruck had gotten to his feet and picked up his saber.

He glared at Obi-Wan.

"I don't know where you learned to fight like that, but that is certainly never going to happen again," Bruck muttered so that only Obi-Wan could hear him.

"Nice spar, Bruck," was Obi-Wan's quick reply. Now that the fight was over, he could feel his excitement settling in.

He had won. _He had won._

Obi-Wan never lasted more than a minute with even the younger Initiates, and here he was – the victor of a spar with _Bruck Chun._

With a flash, he realized that it was not quite _him_ who was fighting. Now, he was able to tell where the strength and energy came from. Those warnings and suggestions could have only come from one place.

Silently, Obi-Wan thanked the Force for its assistance.

Perhaps it was just his imagination, but the Force seemed to reply: _It is nothing, young Jedi._

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><p><strong>AN: (That is all.)**

***scurries back to my hidey-hole under a rock***

**-Lazuli Quetzal**


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